Gesualdo - Tenebrae Responsories

Written in the early 17th century, the choral settings are notorious for their extraordinarily dark and radical chromaticism. Gesualdo wrote intervals that were essentially unheard of in Western music until the late 19th century. His music sounds shockingly modern and intensely dissonant.

The choral works are specifically written for Holy Week, intended to be sung during the Tenebrae services of Matins and Lauds. The Tenebrae (darkness) services involve the gradual extinguishing of candles. Gesualdo's dark harmonies perfectly capture the somber, mourning nature of these services.

The Italian nobleman is notoriously remembered for brutally murdering his first wife, Maria d'Avalos, and her lover in 1590 after catching them in an affair. He spent his later years in his castle, reportedly tormented by guilt and depression. His violent life heavily informs the intense psychological darkness of his music.

The work is set for an *a cappella* vocal ensemble, specifically written for six unaccompanied voices. The independent polyphonic lines require a highly skilled choir to maintain the pitch through the difficult dissonant harmonies. It remains a supreme technical challenge for vocal ensembles today.